‘The exercises will take place, and are not targeted at anyone,’ the official said on Thursday in a statement to the press.

He added that the maneuvers are carried out in the context of military cooperation between two strategic allied states.

‘We will continue with our line that is not a secret to anyone at all and everyone knows it well.

Participants will focus on maneuvring with groups of troops to ensure the military security of the State of the Union of Russia and Belarus.

Among other things, the exercises include planning for the use of nuclear weapons and the new Russian medium-range ballistic missile system Oreshnik, as well as simulations of defensive scenarios to protect and ensure the security of the two allied countries.

On September 9, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the closure of the border with Belarus in the early hours of September 11-12 in connection with the start of the Zapad 2025 exercises.

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